Cranberry Meadow Pond Conservation Hike

We’re sure everyone in New England has felt the change in temperature this past week, as we certainly have here in the Monadnock Region. Cooler days are great for hikes and walking on trails through the woods, and Peterborough has an ample supply of places to explore. There’s several conservation hiking trails throughout the town, so today we’re going to head over to Cranberry Meadow Pond Trail.

We started on Old Street Road, where you can pick up the trail by walking on a boarded path through some wetlands.

The boards carry you to a brook that winds through the woods that the trail is on, providing an almost serene hiking experience as you follow the trail markers.

The openness of the woods gave us lots of opportunities to spot interesting sights, like a plethora of mushrooms, moss, and more!

The trail headed up a hill, which was the most strenuous of this relatively mild hike. Here the trees grew skinny and their yellow leaves truly gave the feeling that fall was on its way.

We’re getting close to the pond! The path breaks off from the woods, giving a view of the sky as you follow markers down to the water. At the edge of the pond the trail continued, where those looking for a longer hike can continue further and even all the way to Pack Monadnock.

A low bench was available to rest on as we enjoyed the spectacular view of the pond. The leaves haven’t started changing much just yet, but we can already imagine how beautiful it will look in the weeks to come!

If you’re looking for even more conservation hikes to enjoy this fall, head over to Peterborough’s Open Space page to see a full list of trails and more. To explore this trail and many others nearby, let us help you plan a visit to Peterborough and the Jack Daniels Motor Inn or you can check out availability online!